[ad_1]
Constructor: David P. Williams
Relative problem: Medium (Simple … then one mistaken reply within the SE nook stopped me chilly)
THEME: none
Phrase of the Day: TAGINE (15A: Gradual-simmered stew of northwest Africa) —
additionally : the pot during which tagine is cooked (merriam-webster.com)
• • •
This weirdly had extra whoosh than Friday, regardless of the obnoxious, extremely segmented grid structure, which would appear to impede it. Not an enormous fan (or perhaps a small fan) of those grids the place the corners are utterly lower off from the physique of the grid, such that they play like fully separate puzzles. Stream > Segmentation! However all the pieces *between* the corners performed fantastically, with numerous crisscrossing motion, sharp turns, and fast reveals, and all of the solutions coming in a minimum of stable (HORSE TRADER), typically robust (“DON’T SWEAT IT“). The NW nook was like a diving board on which I took a bit time to place myself earlier than the plunge, after which, off the “LI-” …
As I wrote it in, I believed, “Properly, if LIFE IS SWEET is mistaken, I do not wanna be proper. Let’s take a screenshot and cross our fingers!” And all of it labored out. FAIRS to STIRS to DEBTS and ITHACA, and at that time I used to be assured my first lengthy Down was appropriate. Fairly than work extra of the LIFE IS SWEET crosses, I adopted Odysseus to ITHACA and past, into North Africa for some stew, and the wheeling across the NE nook and capturing again throughout the grid with a canine (or yo-yo) I one way or the other picked up throughout the best way:
 |
| [this is some top-level whoosh right here] |
With two lengthy solutions pushed straight by way of the center of the puzzle, what had been a frightening quantity of white house all of a sudden grew to become a playground, the place I romped round choosing up each phrase and phrase virtually as quick as I might take a look at the clues. Obtained that SW nook surrounded and completed off with out an excessive amount of effort, after which … effectively, then it was time to return into the rattling cut-off corners once more, this time within the SE. And that was the place the (minor) distress began. I figured 46A: Take some hits in all probability had one thing to do with “SMoking” since I had the “SM-,” however I solely wrote in SMOKE. On reflection, SMOKE POT appears apparent, however I do not hear “pot” a lot any extra, and I neglect how a lot the NYTXW likes to name it that, so … “weed” did not match and I figured, simply go away it, you may get it from crosses. And actually, that reply wasn’t the true downside down there. No, the true killer was a three-letter mistaken reply that spun me right into a six-letter mistaken reply that completely crashed my automobile. Particularly: for 47D: Some financial institution deposits, with the “O” in place, I wrote in ORE, and *then*, for 51A: Worth, with the (misguided) “E” in place, I wrote in ESTEEM. Recreation Over. Properly, quickly over. The worst half about being caught was mentally singing “on a chilly winter’s night time that was so deep” in my head and having it flip into like a thousand totally different carols in my head: “O Come All Ye Trustworthy,” “Silent Evening,” “Jingle Bells.” I’m out of carol coaching. Regardless of what the shops and your neighbor’s yard could be telling you, It is Not The Season (But). Anyway, it is “The First Noel” and there’s a line (-up) of NOELS in that tune, for certain. “NOEL, NOEL, NOEL, NOEL / Born is the King of Israel,” I believe is the best way it goes. The clue is enjoying with “line” (not the lyric, however the string of NOELS all in a line there).
Annnnnyway, no luck there. Ultimately I bought actual mad that I could not get 49A: It is a unhealthy look with its first three letters in place (which for me had been ERI-), so I tore out ORE and its “R” and that is when EVIL … after which OVA (47D: Some financial institution deposits) … grew to become apparent. ESTEEM turned to ASSESS, and whoosh, the entire nook went down. All that hold-up as a result of I believed OVA was ORE. UGH. These cut-off, remoted corners actually do take the enjoyment out of issues. However nonetheless, my total impression of the puzzle was good. All the pieces from NE to SW was a swirly delight.
Notes:
- 15A: Gradual-simmered stew of northwest Africa (TAGINE) — overseas meals usually flummox me, however not immediately. This wasn’t a gimme, precisely, however I acknowledged the phrase finally. A slow-simmered stew sounds good about now. The temperature fell by way of the ground right here in Central New York this week.
- 19A: Acute … or the alternative of acute (GRAVE) — OK somebody clearly has studied French, since you’ve bought ÊTRE there at 23A: To be abroad?, after which on high of it you have bought this play on phrases that includes French accent marks: accent aigu goes up (like so: é), and accent GRAVE goes down (thusly: è)
- 22A: Applicable phrase discovered scrambled in “pedantic” (NIT) — I hope it is not pedantic to say that is the stupidest clue I’ve ever seen. A hidden … scrambled phrase? So … not truly within the phrase in any respect. Gotcha. (Sidenote: I wished NITS at 8D: They get beneath one’s pores and skin, informally (TATS), solely to have NIT present up right here later)
- 12D: Warfare historian’s tally (DEATHS) — look DEATHS occur, I’ve no downside with DEATHS in any respect, however you need to make the body of reference a physique depend? From a battle? Now? This looks as if the type of clue that ought to’ve been taken in a much less grotesque path. [Features of a tragedy’s last act, often] or simply [Ends] … one thing like that.
- 41A: Paradise of the Beat Technology (SAL) — If there’s one literary motion that I’ve by no means given one rattling about, it is the Beats. Properly, no: it is Kerouac, particularly (I believe Capote’s line about how On the Street “is not writing in any respect—it is typing,” actually caught with me). However I do know sufficient about On the Street to know that SAL Paradise is the primary character (narrator).
- 4D: Pluck (NERVE) — I had VERVE.
- 39A: Sq. meal? (BENTO) — beloved this one. Japanese meal conventionally packed / served in a field, therefore the time period “BENTO field.” Containers are “sq.” (-ish). Ta-da! Sq. meal!
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[ad_2]